The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-08-18

coniei uceo as the case may be
Mr.. Martin knew this as well a
any man in the Methodist churcl
and had used such forms Before il
deciding property for church purpo-
ses, and if he had intended thi
property to be under the control O
the conference he would ha uset
the forms and followed the direc-
lions prescribed by the discipline
Neither the ANIMAL nor quarterly
con terence is mentioned in the vii
and the language used Officers OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church
S9nth, established at Pulaski
Tenn. Is as plain and pointed des
'gnation of the persons who were to
execute the trust as if he had nam
ell them by their several names
with the additional feature of en-
hraclng their successors as we'll as
the acting officers. The trusts to
be performed were the Purchasing
OF grounds and erection OF buildings
which could be done much more
intelligenlly hy the officers of the
charch st Pulaski than by the an
nua! or quarterly conference in their
official church capacity. The will
did not impose on these officers an,
trusts or duties in running or oper
ating the school and clearly intend.
ed thai it should be operated by
others Bat if the court should be
OF the opiEloA that there is any am
bigulty or uncertainty in the Ian
ggage Of the will, then the defend
ants show to the court that the tes-
tator explained his ir;eat;ans fully
aud freely to his confidential friends
and such statements are competent
to point out the parties who were
intended and the mauuer in which
they were TO hold tie said beauest.
Nor can the REALTORS object to such
testimony as incompetent because
under the act Of the general Assem-
oly Incorporating the Tennessee an
nual conference it is competent to
show by extTinsic proof. written nr
parol whether said Conference is the
- - yended grantee or donee under
any will and they can not escape the
proYisions of their own charter
when bringing suit for the benefit
OF said conference. His legal ad
wiser, Thos. Nj. Jones, who drafted
his will, will state:
PARoL EVIDENCE.
JUDGE THos. NJ. JONES.
81 was requested by Mr.. Thomas
Martin during his last sickness, to
write his will. In obedience to his re
quest | went'to his house and after tax
ing full notes Of the different provis-
ions of his will he remarked with great
feeling (his eyes filling wilh tearsl that
he had come to Pulaski MANY wears
ago, as | understood him, before he
was 2l years old, and had formed bus
iness connection with certain ge,,tle-
man (naming HIM who had greatly
embarrassed him, but that the good
citi2ens OF pc!asfi and OF Giles county
had come to his relief and by their gen.
erous patronage and unfaltering friend
ship,together with his exertions had en-
abled him to accumulate handsome
estate to leave to his family. That he
wished TO leave tome enduring memo
ria, OF ais Acknowledgements 81 d the
appreciation of these many acts.of kind
ness. That after bestowing upon the
subject some considerable thought he
had come to the conclusion that there
was nothing which he could do that
would contribute more to the prosperi-
ty OF the town OF Pulaski and tha good
OF the citizens of the county than en-
noW.ng or placing upon permanent
basis her schools for the education of
her children. That he had $50, 900 in
state bonds which he wished 10 give to
the endowment of a female school in
the town of Pulaski and $4,000 in
county warrants to Giles College which
was male school at Pulaski. After
pausing lew minutes, he remarked
that FROM his observations through life,
he had found that those schools which
were in the most prosperous and flour
ishing condition were those which had
the care, patronage and influence OF
some church. Do not understand me,
he said, that | would wish to establish
or ever sec established g seotarian
school, for although have been MEM
Der OF the Methodist church tor about
fifty years, and no one lives who is
more devoted to the church than am,
yet | number among the PRESBYTERIAN
church and old baptist church uany
citizens who have been to me as true
and good friends as l ever found In the
Methodist church-that be did not
wish the fund tG be under the control
of the conference, but under the ..con-
troll of the officers of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, established
in the town of Pulaski He remarked
that he had been rejecting upon list
of names who would be suitable .rus-
tees and would send the lit to me or
hand 1t TO ne OH the next day. On the
following day | called to see him and
he handed to me list of names which
think was incomplete. Upon my sug-
gestion to him if any of the nameg men-
toned should decline to accept, or die
or move away, how did he desire the
vacancy to be filled, he repied, By the
officers of the Methodist church at Pu-
laski. About that time Judge Snofsord,
his son-in-law, who had been upon the
supreme bench OF the state of Louis
! lana passed the door and suggested we
should call him and consult with him.
He did so. After explaining the whole
matter 70 him, Judge Spofford advised
that no trustees should be named and
the snames were accordingly omitted
and the will was written as directed By
Mr.. Martin, and by him signed ami
acknowledged and witnessed by these
witnesses.
Afterwards, during my absence
from home, Mr.. Martin sent for Col. j.
B. Stacy and requested him to copy
the will, leaving out the bequest to
Giles College, but not changing the will
in any other respect, as MIR. Martin
told me upon any return home. The
reason he left out the bequest to Giles
College he explained to me, which It is
unnecessary to state here.
"During the interview with Judge
| Spofford, Mr.. Martin again said once
or twice he did not desire the school
ever TO be q sectarlan school, and on
the list of the trustees two of them
belonged to different churches than
that of the Methodist church.
"a fter the death of Mr.. Martin and
the probate of the will it was very
soon ascertained that the interest upon
the state bonds, which was all that
could be used, and the s5,oc0 would
not be Sufficient TO buy the ground and
erect suitable buildings for such fe.
male school as was desired, and sub
scriptions were made by different de-
nominations, as well IS by the citizens